Thanks for caring
by T3hWh1t3P4nth3r
Summary: I rewrote this. It is no longer a script, but the story itself is still the same. Draco is suicidal because of problems in his life. Harry stops him. Where will it lead? Rated for language mostly. Nothing "dirty" happens.
1. Scene 1: He's gone

Thanks for caring

Authors note: This takes place during 6th year, nearing their spring break. It's NO LONGER written like a script! P.S it's still a really short fic, but I broke it into 3 different parts

ENJOY! Reviews are always appreciated. I want to say thanks to everyone that reviewed "The Dementor's Kiss". They made my day. :D

Part 1: He's gone

(Friday)

Harry, Ron and Hermione exit potions. Harry has a perplexed look on his face.

"He's gone again," Harry said, earning him a weird look from Ron.

"So? He's a Slytherin! Why should we care if he's here or not?" the redhead snapped.

Harry snapped back, a little defensively. "Well, I'm just saying that it's weird. I mean, he was gone last month too, at around the same time: the last week. Come to think of it, it's been like that the last few months…" He trails off.

Hermione and Ron exchange surprised glances then stare at Harry.

Harry notices and quickly adds, "Just saying…"

Hermione looks at him, seeming a little alarmed. "Harry, it's a little weird… How much you've been paying attention to him lately."

"What do you mean?" he asks.

Hermione lets out a sigh. "You've been staring and noticing his little tendencies and habits… and it's just kind of weird. It's like you're stalking him or something…"

"I am NOT stalking Draco Malfoy! I've just noticed that he's absent a lot, that's all!" the raven haired boy yells loudly.

"No need to get all defensive about it, mate…" Ron backs away slightly.

"OK!" Hermione intervenes, "Changing the subject. Did either of you even start your paper for transfiguration? Because I am NOT letting you copy mine this time!"

Ron instantly forgets the previous topic and begins arguing with Hermione about how "That's not fair!" However, Harry lingers on his thoughts about Malfoy…

There. "Fixed" the first chapter. The other two will follow very soon. Better?


	2. SCene 2: What happened?

Part 2: What happened!?

(Next day, Saturday)

There are no classes today. Harry, Ron and Hermione are taking advantage of the fabulous weather, which it is about 80 degrees outside. They are laughing in the courtyard with Fred, George, Luna, Neville and the rest of the usual group. They are all wearing short-sleeved shirts and shorts.

Hermione, through a fit of giggles, "That's quite possibly the stupidest thing I've ever heard!"

"That's the point," the twins say in unison as only they know how.

Ron wore a slightly horrified expression. "I don't get it and I don't think I want to…"

This makes everyone start laughing again. Neville is the first to break off.

Neville ducks his head down, looking nervous. "They keep looking over here." He glances at Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle who are standing in a corner. "It's creeping me out."

"I don't know," Luna says in her usual airy tone. "I don't think they are as intimidating without their "dragon". They don't seem to know what to do…"

Ron is a bit confused. "Their "dragon"?"

Luna looks at him as if he has a second head. "Draco. It's Latin for "dragon". You didn't know that?"

Ron hangs his head, pretending to be ashamed. "I did not…"

Hermione looks over to Harry, who has been lost in thought.

"Harry, are you alright?" she asks gingerly. "You seem a bit… off."

Harry snaps out of his "trance" at her words. "No, yeah, I'm fine. Really…"

They all begin talking about the upcoming Quidditch match between Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. They are interrupted by a mixture of a squeal and a shout.

The voice belongs to none other than Pansy Parkinson. "Where have you been?!" she screamed.

They all turn and see a figure, whom they assume is Malfoy, wearing the black school robe with the hood up, despite it being 80 degrees out.

"Draco, I'd like a response!" Her tone is cold.

He just walks right past her without even acknowledging her at all.

Pansy is furious at his total neglect. "DRACO!"

She runs after him, but he continues to ignore her.

"What's that all about, do you suppose?" Hermione asks, looking slightly disgusted at the display.

Ginny shrugs. "Don't know. They've been like that for a while now. I don't think Malfoy ever really liked Pansy, but now it's like he doesn't even tolerate her anymore."

Pansy catches up to Malfoy. They can still be seen, but not heard very clearly. Pansy appears to be trying to reason with him and get an answer, but Malfoy won't comply.

Hermione looks quite thoughtful, a dim sadness in her eyes. "I don't think I've ever seen them argue this much. It's almost sad…"

Ron simply scoffs. "Would be sad if the bloody git didn't have a perfect life anyway. I'm kinda glad that he has to deal with something for once in his life."

Malfoy says something that Pansy clearly doesn't appreciate in the slightest.

"How DARE you!?" she screeches. She hits him across the face, knocking his hood off. Harry sees that Malfoy has scratches and bruises all along his cheeks.

Pansy clasps her hands over her mouth, shocked and regretting her rash actions. Malfoy keeps his face where it had been slapped to, eyes closed. Pansy tries to apologize. Malfoy responds, but they can't hear what he said.

Malfoy puts his hood back up and walks away, leaving Pansy where she is, hands clutched at her chest and tears welling in her eyes.

"What happened to him?" Harry asked, concern sneaking into his voice.

Ron was laughing a bit. "What ever happened, I'm sure the git deserved it. Everyone knows that Pansy's got a temper."

Harry is irritated by how oblivious his best friend can be. "That's not what I mean, Ron! Didn't you see his face? It's covered scratches and bruises!"

Ron laughter stops almost instantly. "Seriously?"

Harry nods. "Yeah."

Ron's tone is far more subdued. "I only saw her hit him… Sure it wasn't just a shadow or something?"

"I'm sure," he responded, wishing he weren't.

Ginny pipes in. "Should we go and tell Madame Pomfrey?"

Everyone begins discussing what they should do. Harry takes this opportunity to slip away. He goes to look for Malfoy, to find out exactly what happened for himself.


	3. Scene 3: Don't do it

Part 3: Don't do it

Harry starts thinking once more. _"Now, if I were Malfoy, where would I go?"_

He doesn't know why, but he has a nagging feeling that he should check the astronomy tower.

"_Makes sense. It's the most theatrical and inconvenient; of course he'd go there."_ He lets out a sigh. _"It's worth a shot…"_

He starts up the tower stairs when he finally reaches them. He's not sure, but he thinks he hears someone up there…

"Probably just Trelawny…" he mutters.

When he reaches the top, he sees something that nearly makes him fall to his knees. Draco Malfoy is standing on the railing and appears to be getting ready to jump.

Harry speaks before he even realizes he has opened his mouth. "Draco, please don't."

Draco whips his head around in surprised, but manages to keep his balance. It's clear that he's been crying as there are tear tracks on his pale skin.

"Why do you give a damn, Potter?" the blonde snaps. "I thought that you hated me. Just like everyone else…" His voice is unusually weak as he turns back around.

Harry approaches Draco carefully. "I don't hate you. I just acted that way because… well, I thought that you hated me."

Draco scoffs. "There are a handful of people in this world that I truly hate and trust me, you're not one of them." His body tenses as he realizes he has said a little too much.

"Are you talking about whoever did this to you? Who was it, Draco?" Harry had never been one for subtlety.

Draco instantly draws back. "I shouldn't have said that. It's not important…"

Harry grabs Draco's wrist, gently but with purpose. "Actually, it IS important. Someone hurt you."

Draco is shocked by Harry grabbing him and caring. He's not sure how to respond. He stammers slightly, panicking faintly. "Wh- Why do you care?" Harry pulls him off the railing. "NO! Don't you understand?! I want to die!" He starts crying, stressed out by everything. He speaks once more, though barely above a whisper. "Why won't you let me?"

Harry, without thinking, pulls Draco to him and kisses him. At first, Draco kisses back. Then he realizes just what's going on and pulls away from the Golden Boy.

"What are you playing at?" His eyes are filled with suspicion and distrust.

"I'm sorry," Harry says a bit sheepishly. "I've wanted to do that for a long time now. That's why I won't let you jump… I love you."

Draco turns away. ""Love"… Don't know much about it, personally."

"Well, your parents love you," he offered.

Draco scoffs bitterly, with little to no trace of humor. "You'd think they would…"

"I'm sure they do."

Draco was highly irritated by this point. "Well, they've sure got a funny way of showing it, don't they!?" Angry tears begin rolling down his cheeks.

"You mean…" He looks at Draco's bruised face. "They did this to you?"

"My father did. My mother wasn't there. She never is anymore." There was the smallest trace of jealousy in his voice as he said this. "He's gotten more violent, so she leaves me to deal with him."

Harry looked a bit confused. "Why don't you leave too?"

"Can't," he answered shortly. "He's never alone. He always brings his "friends", and their favorite way of passing the time is to torture me…"

Harry hesitates in asking, "Is he drunk when he does this?" He's on the verge of tears and afraid of the answer he might receive.

Draco responds after a moment's hesitation "… no. Not usually."

This pushes Harry to his breaking point. He doesn't understand how a father could do such a thing to their son. He starts crying, despite himself.

Draco breaks the silence. "You don't know how lucky you are, Potter. Sure, your life sucks with those muggles, but at least you can get away from them. I can't." Tears pour silently down his face.

Harry calms himself down. "What are you talking about?"

"They can always find me." He turns to look at Harry as he explains. "And I always have to act the way that he wants me to. The way a Malfoy should act. In other words, he wants me to grow up to be a complete asshole, just like him." His fists clench tight and there is a brief pause. He lets out a light, frustrated sigh. "I used to think that I wanted to be just like him, but not anymore…"

"How long has this been going on?" Harry doesn't bother trying to mask his concern.

"Around the end of third year…" The blonde answers, a bit uneasily.

"WHAT!?" Harry was shocked. "And you haven't told anyone!? Why didn't you tell Snape?"

Draco shakes his head, looking rather hopeless. "He wouldn't understand… He would try to approach it logically, scientifically, and that does me no good. He's horrible with "emotional" topics."

Harry nodded. It made perfect sense. "Why not Dumbledore, then?"

Draco's voice was nearly inaudible. "Father threatened to do worse to me if I told…"

Harry's mind is overwhelmed, and he's not even the one having to deal with all of it. "Oh my God…"

"Now you see why I was going to jump," Draco states rather matter-of-factly.

Harry comes to one of his usual rash and impulsive decisions. "Draco, I don't want you going home over spring break. Stay here. With me. I'll keep you safe from him."

"It won't matter… He'll come for me…" The look of utter despair begins sweeping into his storm grey eyes once more.

Harry places a steadying hand on the boy's shoulder. "He'll have to go through me first. I won't let him hurt you anymore."

Draco breaks down sobbing and falls to his knees, overwhelmed with everything that had gone on in his life.

Harry kneels; pulling Draco into his arms to embrace him comfortingly.

Draco speaks into Harry's chest when he has calmed down. "Thank you…"

"For what?" Harry looks down into Draco's eyes, now silver with not only tears, but hope.

"For caring," he says, placing a light, gracious kiss on the lips of the boy who saved his life, in more ways than one…

Note: Ok, so the ending is a bit different now. Let me know what your thoughts are on the revised story.

Corny ending, I know. Please let me know what you think. Also, if you have suggestions for pairings you would like to see, let me know. :P


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